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ESDiT Research Line

Nature, Life & Human Intervention

We aim to go beyond traditional discussions about the normative status of nature, e.g., whether there is something intrinsically good or desirable in nature and something objectionable in changing nature.

The overall aim of the ESDiT research programme is to develop a comprehensive philosophical understanding of the socially disruptive technologies (SDTs) of the 21st century, and in particular their challenge to the very concepts and values that we normally appeal to in our moral thinking about technologies.

Description of This Research Line

Some of the greatest challenges for humankind concern our relationship with nature and the environment. These include climate change, food insecurity, emerging diseases, and threats towards biodiversity and natural resources. Technological innovation will be essential to respond to and mitigate these problems. Such innovation sometimes must be disruptive in order to successfully change existing lifestyles, consumption, and economy to foster a sustainable society and circular economy. Yet, disruptive innovations give rise to many fundamental ethical questions. Moreover, these technological innovations challenge conceptual distinctions, such as between natural, unnatural, and man-made, and between technological and natural risk, which in turn raises fundamental questions in ethics.

In this research line Nature, Life & Human Intervention we aim to go beyond traditional discussions about the normative status of nature, e.g., whether there is something intrinsically good or desirable in nature and something objectionable in changing nature. The technologies we study disrupt such understandings and force us to rethink the human-nature relationship and to develop new perspectives.

We work on the following clusters of questions:

  • How do new developments in biological engineering and environmental and sustainable technologies challenge basic moral concepts and beliefs? Which disruptions are required to address global challenges like climate change and to foster a circular economy and how can they be morally evaluated?
  • How do these disruptions affect our relationship with nature and how do they challenge fundamental notions, such as the distinctions between natural/man-made; living/not-living; nature/culture; natural environment/societal environment? Do ethical frameworks, theories, and concepts in ethics of technology, bioethics, and environmental philosophy have to be adjusted given these disruptions? Do we have moral reasons to avoid some of those disruptions?
  • How can ethical and philosophical reflection contribute to a new model of the human-nature relationship and to new paradigms of control over nature? Under what conditions can natural processes and phenomena have normative implications? Which ethical frameworks and procedural approaches can guide technological design, responsible innovation, and governance of SDTs?

Related Publications

Philosophical Reflections on the Concept of Innovation

Blok, Vincent

Philosophical Reflections on the Concept of Innovation Book Chapter

In: Godin, Benoît; Gaglio, Gérald; Vinck, Dominique (Ed.): Chapter 20, pp. 354-367, Edward Elgar Publishing, 1, 2021, ISBN: 9781789902297.

Links | BibTeX

The Ethical Challenges of Innovation

Pesch, Udo

The Ethical Challenges of Innovation Journal Article

In: Science and Engineering Ethics, vol. 27, iss. 3, no. 31, 2021.

Links | BibTeX

Deep Transitions in our food system

Rijssenbeek, Julia

Deep Transitions in our food system Journal Article

In: EurSafe News, vol. 23, 2021.

Links | BibTeX

Three philosophical perspectives on the relation between technology and society, and how they affect the current debate about artificial intelligence

van de Poel, Ibo

Three philosophical perspectives on the relation between technology and society, and how they affect the current debate about artificial intelligence Journal Article

In: Human Affairs, vol. 30, iss. 4, pp. 499-511, 2020.

Links | BibTeX

Related News & Media

Impressions of a successful ESDIT2022 conference

Impressions of a successful ESDIT2022 conference

ESDiT Biannual Report 2020-2021

ESDiT Biannual Report 2020-2021

#ESDiTPodcast S1 – Ben Hofbauer on “Geo-engineering & Techno-moral Change”

Related Events

Workshop Engaging with empirical studies as a philosopher

May242023
Time: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Location: Social Impact Factory, Vredenburg 40, 3511 BD Utrecht
Academic event | All research lines & tracks | Internal ESDIT event
esdit-logo-cropped

Researchers involved in the ESDIT program are cordially invited to register!

ESDiT2022 International Conference

Oct62022
Oct72022
All-day event
Location: CORPUS Congress Centre, Oegstgeest (near) Leiden – the Netherlands
Academic event | All research lines & tracks | Public ESDIT event
esdit-conference

The objective of the conference is to study and ethically assess the transformative consequences of these emerging technologies, of social institutions, the environment, human relations, personal identities, thought and language. There will be a particular focus on challenges of disruptive technologies to key concepts and values, like “truth”, “agency”, “democracy”, “human nature” and “life”.

People Involved

Research Line Leaders

Prof. dr. ir. Ibo van de Poel

Prof. dr. ir. Ibo van de Poel

Professor in Ethics and Technology
Delft University of Technology
ESDIT role(s): Management boardResearch fellowResearch line leader
Research line(s): Nature, Life & Human Intervention
Prof. Dr. Vincent Blok

Prof. Dr. Vincent Blok

Professor in Philosophy of Technology and Responsible Innovation
Wageningen University & Research
ESDIT role(s): Management boardResearch fellow
Research line(s): Nature, Life & Human Intervention

Research Line Coordinator

Dr. Bernice Bovenkerk

Dr. Bernice Bovenkerk

Associate Professor of Environmental and Animal ethics
Wageningen University & Research
ESDIT role(s): CoordinatorResearch fellow
Research line(s): Nature, Life & Human Intervention

Participants

Dr. Vincent Blok
Keje Boersma
Dr. Bernice Bovenkerk
Dr. Lorina Buhr
Dr. Andrea Gammon
Alessio Gerola
Prof. dr. Maarten Hajer
Benjamin Hofbauer
Dr. Dominic Lenzi
Dr. Franck Meijboom
Karen Moesker
Dr. Udo Pesch
Dr. Alexandria Poole
Julia Rijssenbeek
Dr. Zoë Robaey
Dr. Mark Ryan
Prof. dr. Behnam Taebi
Prof. dr. Ibo van de Poel
Prof. dr.  John van der Oost
Prof. dr. Mark van Loosdrecht
Prof. dr. Detlef van Vuuren
Dr. Eveline Verhulst
Dr. Christopher Wareham
Dr. Jochem Zwier

 

All ESDiT Research Lines

Nature, Life & Human Intervention

Nature, Life & Human Intervention

We aim to go beyond traditional discussions about the normative status of nature, e.g., whether there is something intrinsically good or desirable in nature and something objectionable in changing nature.
The Human Condition

The Human Condition

We investigate how and to what extent socially disruptive technologies have implications with regard to humans, humanity and the human condition, focusing on new biomedical and digital technologies.
The Future of a Fair & Free Society

The Future of a Fair & Free Society

We try to map how the changes in social relations, social structures, social institutions, and democratic practices, brought about by SDTs affect the basic concepts of social and political philosophy.
Foundations & Synthesis

Foundations & Synthesis

This research line aims to develop more synthesizing perspectives on the entire topic of the research programme. We work on frameworks that are able to provide normative responses to the challenge of SDTs.